Never Let Me Go
by UntoldLies
Summary: A little ficlet outlining a series of firsts for Fred and Hermione. AU


**DISCLAIMER: I own nothing**

**This is just a little set of Fremione prompts to help me out with my writers block. Hope you enjoy**

The first time they had kissed, it wasn't because they were in love. They hadn't ever talked about having a relationship. They had barely even spoken privately before. But when he came into the common room after everyone else, followed by Angelina, who walked up to her dorm without saying a word, she couldn't help but to ask. Before she could open her mouth to say a word, she saw him. It was the first time she had ever seen Fred Weasley with tears in his eyes. By the time he plopped down beside her, wiping his face, she knew. Angelina had broken it off with him. He had stayed up telling her about their relationship; about the things he had loved about her, for hours. It was the most they had talked since she had met him. He told her things she thought she'd never hear come out of his mouth. She had seen a softer side of him that night; one that would make her think of him in a different light from that point on. She had never seen him look so down. When she hugged him, she had run her hands through his hair comfortingly as he laid his head on her shoulder. When he had looked up at her, she couldn't bear to look away from him as he stared into her eyes. Instead she found herself wiping under his eye with the pad of her thumb. She couldn't find it in her heart to tell him they shouldn't as he kissed her. Something in the intensity of it wouldn't allow her to pull away from him. Something about the way he needed her in that moment had made her stay. When he finally pulled away and apologized, she had insisted that it was fine. They had both agreed not to speak of it to anyone. But before they went their separate ways to their dorms, he had thanked her.

The first time he asked her out, she laughed at him. She didn't mean to, but the absurdity of it really did amuse her. She couldn't believe Fred Weasley was really asking her out. It was only when she realized he was serious that she stopped laughing. She had insisted it was just because he missed Angelina, and he would find someone else. But he told her she was it. She was the one he wanted to be with. She had insisted he give it more time. She knew he would end up leaving her. It wasn't worth the heartache on both ends. It had taken him several weeks to convince her to sneak off with him during a Hogsmeade visit, but when he finally had, she knew he was it for her too.

The first letter he had sent her after he left Hogwarts she had torn up. He had explained how sorry he was that he and George had to go, but it had to happen. He had told her how he would visit her when she returned to the burrow to apologize and explain everything that had happened, but she didn't care. She didn't want to hear it. He had left her alone with everything that was going on; with that awful Umbridge woman. She knew it would happen. She had told him so when he first proposed the idea of their relationship. She hadn't told Harry or Ron; Ginny was the only one who knew. Ginny was her rock in the days after they left. She found herself rushing off to cry at random intervals. She had let her guard down with him. He had convinced her that the kiss hadn't been a mistake; that they could even work it out for the two years she had left in school. She thought she loved him. She had no desire to see him anymore. She was determined to stay away from him even after she returned to the burrow.

The first time she saw him standing on platform 9 ¾ after the end of term, she couldn't help but to run into his arms. He held her up as she cried for what seemed like forever, no longer caring if anyone else knew or saw. She kissed him so intensely, she was later surprised Molly hadn't pulled them apart. But after the battle at the ministry; after losing Sirius, she needed him to know; he had to know how she felt. She loved him; no matter what happened. She thought she was going to have died without telling him she forgave him for leaving and that she understood now. She cried until she felt her mother's hand on her arm. As she looked over to them, she saw everyone staring at them. To her surprise, no one seemed mad at her or Fred. She supposed the loss of Sirius was still hanging over their heads, just as it was hers. She begged her mother for more time with Fred. She couldn't leave him yet. Eventually, he kissed her on the forehead, promising to send her owls all the time and that he would see her soon. She had accepted that answer with a kiss.

The first time he met her during a Hogsmeade visit in her sixth year, she couldn't have been happier. She wished they had more time together. There was so much to tell him about everything she was going through at school. She wanted to tell him about the Slug Club, and that awful Cormac McLaggen, though it had taken her several minutes to convince him not to walk over to the boy and hit him. In the end, he had settled for sitting with Harry, Ginny and Ron, his arm draped around her shoulders, smiling with Cormac would look over. It was enough for the pair to be together, even if only for a short time.

The first time he asked her to marry him was the morning of Bill and Fleur's wedding. He knew she was leaving on the hunt with the boys at any moment. He had begged her to stay, and when she refused, begged her to let him come with them; another idea she vetoed. She had insisted she would feel safer if he was at home, looking after George and the rest of the Weasleys. She knew how dangerous her mission with Harry was, and she wasn't about to let him go with them. With tears in her eyes, she told him she couldn't marry him. That didn't know how long she would be gone and she might not come back and he should move on. He shouldn't worry about her. Of course, she knew better. He loved her every bit as much as she loved him. So instead of the reaction she thought she'd get, he kissed her and told her he intended to ask her the next time he saw her, and every time after that if he needed to.

The first time she said yes was the night of the Final Battle. This was his third proposal, though the second was more out of desperation and fear. He had met her at Shell Cottage and gone into a fit after learning she had been tortured. After she told him no for a second time, as she didn't want to make future plans with the war still going on, he had simply held her as she slept, though she woke up frequently from nightmares that night. But the night of the final battle, when he came to her, bruised and bleeding, barely unable to keep himself standing, she couldn't tell him no anymore. She had no more reasons why she shouldn't. He was a man who loved her enough to be rejected not once, but twice. He had let her run off to fight the greatest evil of their time, and he had always had faith she'd return to him. She had felt guilty at the prospect of such happiness in the wake of losing so many of their friends. They hadn't told anyone for a month, letting everyone mourn those they had lost in the fight. Then one Sunday dinner at the Weasleys, they had finally made the announcement. She couldn't have imagined being happier than she was, surrounded by her friends and Fred's family, celebrating such a happy occasion. Molly had of course started crying, as did Ginny. George had tackled her in a bone crushing hug, telling her to take care of his twin. The rest of the Weasleys also took their turns with hugs, though she could breathe through theirs. Harry had been the last kissing her on the cheek and telling her he was proud of her. That had meant more than anything else to her. Harry had always been the closest thing she had to family aside from her mother and father. She told him she knew he and Ginny would find the same happiness soon.

The first time she gave birth, it was to twins. Two beautiful girls who she was certain would turn out much like her best friend, Ginny. Nothing could have compared to the happiness she felt holding her daughter, Rose, with Fred beside her, holding the other, Victoria. There was nothing to rival the feeling. She finally understood how Ginny and Harry must have felt when James was born. As the rest of the Weasley family filtered in with their spouses and children, along with her parents, she felt a true sense of belonging. Many people had discounted the Weasleys in the past as being poor or having too much love for muggles, or any other reason they could find, but in truth, she wouldn't have them any other way. They were her family. However unlikely she may have thought it would be that she would end up with the prankster, she was happy now.


End file.
